I spent too little of my childhood in the great outdoors. My parents never took us kids into the back country and I was raised to be, as Woody Allen put it, at two with nature.
As an adult, I've heaved a pack over the Tongariro Crossing (three times), and walked the Kaimanawas and Ureweras. But I had never set foot on a track in the South Island and the Milford, widely acclaimed as the finest walk in the world, seemed a great place to start.
As a gesture of respect to my mature years, I took the glamping option, disdaining freeze-dried curries and powdered milk in the morning cuppa in favour of a few comforts.
There were serious upsides to this course of action. Since the franchise operator, Ultimate Hikes, provides beds, bedding, meals, and hot showers, my backpack for the walk weighed about 7kg. Washing facilities and drying rooms at the lodges (trampers stay in huts; glampers stay in lodges) make it possible to wash and dry the clothes you walk in each night, so you don't need spare kit. My burden consisted of some clothing for the evening, a toothbrush, a copy of The Luminaries (on an e-reader, of course) and a packed lunch.
I was particularly grateful for this around two-thirds of the way up the zig-zagging track leading to the track's high point, the Mackinnon Pass, 1154m above sea level.
My training regime, which had consisted mainly of repeatedly labouring up a steep hill near my home, equipped the thighs for the ascent, but pausing at each corner and gazing up at the next zig or zag takes a serious toll on the soul. Masako made it easier, though, gaily chanting the zig and zag numbers as we knocked the bastards off.
The track goes through country so beautiful it beggars words. The Mackay Falls, which served as a backdrop for one of those contentious "100% Pure" campaigns, lives up to the hype. You can drink the water, something I grew up to view as a birthright, because didymo and giardia have not taken hold.
This was my first experience of a guided tour of any sort - normally my toes curl with distaste at the very words - and I was very impressed by the performance of the guides. It occurred to me that such people occupy the shop window of our country; they're the Kiwis tourists go home and tell their mates about.
I felt proud that such a spectacularly beautiful corner of the world is part of the country I call home, but prouder still that in Korea and the US and Australia, they will be talking about Masako and her colleagues for some time to come.
In a discussion about poor wages in the tourism sector, one of them remarked that "you don't work in outdoor pursuits for the money". It seemed sad to me: whether urging lawyers from Florida or journalists from Auckland along the Milford Track, these folks are doing a great job on behalf of all of us.
On the web:
ultimatehikes.co.nz
